Love's Bitter Ending
by red rose of love
Summary: HIATUS! The war Scanran war just seems to keep going on but when will it end? She's in pain and Dom seems to be the only one able to help her to save herself and Tortall. Maybe their love can save them all? KD
1. Just the Beginning

**I would like to thank all the people who reviewed for my other pieces of work. And I do hope that you will enjoy this one. I am right now typing the next chapters for my other stories, so please wait a little longer. Thank you for all the support! Please Read and Review! I was wondering if there is anyone who can beta my story or in other words, proofread and be the first one's to read my chapter and work before it goes out to the public. I just recently got this review where they said I had a bit of trouble with grammar, which is my weakness in English. Please send me a message, e- mail, or AIM to dreamyevenstar or lionessxforever. If you want to take up this offer. This goes for all my stories and poems if you want. Only if you want or else I can choose different ppl for different stories. You have to be responsible and on the computer often. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own this, Tamora Pierce does. But I want to.**

**Can Love Save us All?**

**Chapter 1: Just the Beginning**

The war was still raging on, innocent lives being taken one by one. _What have all of us become? _All the warriors were fighting, fighting for a cause that was long lost. No one knew why they were fighting and for what reason. The hope, the joy, the beauty of life just seemed to wither away, in its place despair, sorrow, and anger dominated. _What would make all of this end? _Keladry didn't know what to do. Her body just seemed to automatically do what it was doing for a long time, killing people who had families of there own, and children to care about. She couldn't just stop herself from doing what she was doing, her life was on the line, and there were orders to be carried out. _I never wanted to be a knight for this reason, I never did._

"Why do you want to be a knight, Lady Keladry?" It was a direct question and Wyldon asked as if he didn't care at all, but it was a question that a lot of people would ponder about and Kel wasn't one of them. This question would probably decide her fate, and she knew the answer to this question all her life since she was a child.

"My lord, I want to be a knight to help people in need and serve my King and my country. I know that becoming a knight is not just a matter of fighting people but it is something that will represent who you are and where your loyalty lies. I am here not because I feel that becoming a knight will give me fame and fortune, but for the reason that I want to let the people know in the future that the Lioness wasn't the only one to succeed in her goals no matter what. From the moment of my birth, my fate was decided and I won't go to a convent because of what people will think of me. All my life I had only one goal which was to become a knight. I know that I will be on probation and being a girl won't stop me from working my hardest, sir." Kel's face was Yamani calm and she looked straight into Wyldon's eyes, never looking away but not necessarily staring. (A/N: It would be weird if Kel was staring at Wyldon and rude.)

Wyldon was caught off guard but he wasn't going to show that to the child in front of him. He never saw such passion and determination from a child, nevertheless a girl. Some boys flinched, while looking at the training master, afraid of the stern eyes, but the girl, she looked at him with such longing and compassion. It was something to remember.

Kel was abruptly stopped from her reminiscent past, when a loud clang from the impact of a sword on her glaive was brought to her attention. She parried, attacked, and her Scanran enemy was lying on the ground with his guts spilling out before him. The rusty tang of blood scorched her nose. Another innocent being died, all because there king ordered them to do so, just like she was being asked to do. _We are all the same. Innocent people, fighting only because the King had told them to and for the country they swore to protect. What is the difference between us and them?_

Tortallan warriors drove back the oncoming attacks coming from the Scanran side, men just dropping one by one, lifeless, as if they didn't matter just one bit. The commander of the legions of soldiers actually made the right decision and told the remaining warriors to fall back to their territories. The soldiers and knights from Tortall, shouted in victory from another battle won. _What is there to cheer about, when all of this is just the beginning? How does killing people make anyone happy?_

As the Tortallan army retreated back to the palace and other fiefs to rest for the night and tend to the wounded, they couldn't here the crying of women that were carried down by the wind and see the red sky as the sun was setting, marking another day of bloodshed and more to come.

**That is the end of Chapter One, please review just a little and I will see to it that you will receive another chapter soon. Expect some feedback… **

**AN: Don't yell at me for not updating Destiny Revealed but it takes time and school has been rough. I will put them up ASAP. Sorry for the long wait. Please enjoy this while you wait for me though. Reviews are highly welcome. **


	2. A Wish

**A/N: **Thank you for the reviews. I am hoping for some more, but it is only the beginning. Please read & review.

**Disclaimer:** It's all Tamora's, but if she ever wanted to give them to someone, I'm sure it will be me. :D

Recap:

As the Tortallan army retreated back to the palace and other fiefs to rest for the night and tend to the wounded, they couldn't here the crying of women that were carried down by the wind and see the red sky as the sun was setting, marking another day of bloodshed and more to come.

**Chapter 2: A Wish**

_If I can have one wish…it would be to end all of this and have peace in the world. But, then again it's only a wish. _

Kel always seemed to have a Yamani mask on at all times. There were no more moments of happiness and no more carefree days. She had seen to much death and mutilated bodies to really be able to feel any emotion. Being a knight had already made her a hardened warrior, even though she was still young and a new made knight not quite long ago. _Times have changed, Kel. Times have changed…_ That was one thing that Kel understood because she lost so many friends and people she knew, too much to even count. _The Black God has met many already. _

"I'm scared… who will die next?" With the thought of so many dead already and more to come, Kel couldn't help but think of all her closest friends lying on the field of blood and sorrow.

"What about you Dom? What about you?" Kel was in her room at the palace, sitting on a large wooden chest filled with clothes.

She worried for Dom, when he didn't even know that Kel had a certain affinity towards him. A little something more that was given to no one else but Dom. One might notice little difference in her behavior but for the Yamani such as Yuki, Princess Shinko, and those closest to Kel the most would see the total change of her usual demeanor. Those quick glances that some people might not even see her doing at all, to a sudden mask whenever Dom was around her. It was seemingly clear that Kel was truly in love.

An endless heartache plagued her at all times of the day, as if a spear or sword was suddenly driven into the core of her misleading heart in a situation like this. Kel thought her love for Dom was something that should never have meant to be. Something that was impossible, but everyday a voice inside her head, told her this was right, told her that everything would be fine, but that was hard to believe especially to Kel who was as lifeless and unemotional as a statue.

Life really didn't have much more to offer after seeing all of its bad sides.

"Kel, the bell has rung for midday, don't you want to eat?" the voice was gentle yet loud, with a fatherly quality. Kel knew that voice much too well. Raoul's voice. She wanted to say no to the question, but it wasn't really a question if Raoul said so. He was a born commander and Kel didn't want to be forced out by him, it would be quite an embarrassing site if people were to see the Second Lady Knight dragged to eat midday mess.

"Yes, my lord, I'll be out in a few minutes." She said back to the closed door, where Raoul's big form would be standing.

"Make it quicker than a few minutes Kel, I'm starving out here." Even with the war still continuing, Raoul still had his humor.

Kel swiftly wore her comfortable boots and made her self look presentable. Brushing her hair and pulling her shirt about really didn't help much when she looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

From going into a deep inner depression of sorrow, Kel had lost a tremendous amount of weight and looked very pale. Beneath her eyes were purple like bruises and bags from lack of sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, Gainel sent her very disturbing dreams. Kel was always healthy and well fed but now she was frail and seemed to look as if the wind would blow her over in one single blow. Her bones were easily visible through her skin and her clothes were a bit bigger than they were before.

Many people were worried for her health and well-being, a fear crept onto every single person who cared for Kel, the war might not kill her, but she might kill herself from the sorrow and depression.

With a sigh Kel reluctantly opened the door to meet Raoul. _I hate looking at myself in the mirror now. I hate myself for all of this. _

"Kel, you look horrible, are you ok?" Raoul was naturally concerned for his former squire, who usually never got sick on her own accord.

"I'm fine, Raoul, really I am." Kel knew she wasn't fine, but it was a habit of hers to say this.

"Let's go now." Kel slowly walked down the hallway down to the mess hall appointed to Knights. Kel cringed, thinking of what Neal might say about her health and the way she looked.

Kel heard the steady footsteps behind her, more vigilant than ever, sometimes even jumpy when hearing a sudden sound. Fighting in a war taught her to expect all these movements.

Thinking hard about how to deal with Neal, Kel didn't realize that her feet brought her to the door of the Mess hall. As silently as possible she opened the door slowly, the whispering of the wood swishing the air.

The sound of eating and enjoyable conversation halted, as an audible creak in the door was made. _For Mithros' sake can I do anything right!_ _Better get it over with now…_

She opened the door all the way and walked in. People staring at her, shocked by her presence. Raoul crept up behind her, noticing the silence.

Kel didn't care anymore and just walked by as if nothing happened. She walked up to one of the servants handing out the meals. She got her tray and sat down near her friends, Merric, Cleon, Neal, Owen, and usually on a few rare days, Prince Roald.

They looked at her with anxious, worried glances. Neal worried the most.

Kel didn't even know why she got food; she tasted nothing and felt nothing. With her fork, she lazily moved her food around, not caring at all. She was silent, not saying a word to anyone. Neal talked first, "Kel, you have to eat, to keep up your strength."

Kel looked at his emerald green eyes, filled with horror from healing the wounded. She couldn't hold the sadness within her, a tear leaked and slowly rolled down her cheek. _My own feelings have betrayed me._ Her mask just cracked and fell apart as if a dam just exploded.

Soon her face was covered in tears and was wet. The men she was friends for her whole life at the palace, stared in absolute wonder and surprise. They never saw her cry openly like this. Kel tried to stop herself from crying, but she couldn't stop, it was as if her body was no longer able to control it self.

Everyone heard her cry and stared at the great Second Female Knight, exposing her emotion before them.

Kel tried to move the tray of food away from her, suddenly feeling nauseous, but her body actually hauled the food up and threw it at a nearby wall. The glasses cracked and its pieces were dispersed in many directions.

No one moved. They just watched as Kel was displaying her anguish, her sadness, her frustration with the world. A few tears led to sobs. She cried so hard that she had difficulty breathing and she coughed and hacked.

Neal was the first to move. As a healer and friend, Kel needed him. She burrowed her head into her arms that were on the table.

"Kel… Kel…? Calm down, Kel. Can you hear me?" he whispered hurriedly.

Kel grabbed him by his shirt collar, in a speed so amazing. "Leave….ug…ug…ug…me….ug…alone…" She desperately replied.

_If she continues like this…She's hyperventilating. _Neal brought a gleaming emerald hand down to bring Kel into a calm, relaxed sleep, but she shoved him away and ran away from him. She bumped into tables and benches, blinded by tears, and destroyed the door on her way out. It was knocked and ripped from its hinges.

"Raoul, go get Lady Alanna and my father. Tell them what has happened to Kel, and if they find her, knock her unconscious. She isn't going to listen to us. We have to find her fast. She's in no condition and…" Neal didn't even want to say it.

Raoul quickly understood and sprinted to the room of Alanna first.

Kel hardly knew where she was going, but let her legs take her anywhere. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe while running. Weakening very quickly, Kel crumbled to her knees in the palace garden. She was huffing very badly as if she was out of shape. She still cried, her face wet and cold from the winds sweeping past her. Her body felt numb, and her stomach nauseous after that run. She threw up the contents of her stomach which held nothing but acid came spewing out of her mouth.

Kel felt sick for the first time, never like this. She fell from her knees to the side of her stomach, the grass cushioning her fall. She heard her waning sob and labored breathing. Her heart a faint thump. She closed her eyes slowly waiting for the comfort of peace. Before she succumbed to the darkness and held it tight, Kel heard the sounds of people running hard and fast towards her. A short red haired person at the lead. Her vision was blurring and hearing… quite faint. All she heard was a scream from a women and yells from men she couldn't recognize.

"Kelllllllllllll…nooooooooooo!"

Then her heavy eye lids closed on her, seeing no more.

**A/N: I had to work on this chapter very hard to bring all the emotions and express them in a way that you guys would understand. I'm terribly sorry for not updating and I will try to update more. I cried while writing this chapter because it saddens me to make Kel feel this way. I will update ASAP for this and all my other stories soon. Thanks for waiting. I hope you like it. R&R!**

**Thanks for the prior reviews. I appreciate everything.**


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